Danny Dunn and the Homework Machine facts for kids
First edition
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| Author | Raymond Abrashkin Jay Williams |
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| Illustrator | Ezra Jack Keats |
| Language | English |
| Series | Danny Dunn |
| Genre | Science fiction |
| Published | 1958 |
| Pages | 141 |
| OCLC | 302827 |
| Preceded by | Danny Dunn on a Desert Island |
| Followed by | Danny Dunn and the Weather Machine |
Danny Dunn and the Homework Machine is an exciting science fiction adventure book for young readers. It's the third story in the popular Danny Dunn series, written by Raymond Abrashkin and Jay Williams. The book tells the tale of a clever boy who creates a machine to do his homework. But soon, he finds himself tricked into doing even more with his new free time!
This book was first published in 1958. The original drawings were made by Ezra Jack Keats. It's also the first book in the series where a new character, Irene, appears.
Contents
What Happens in the Story?
Danny gets his hands on a special computer. His friend, Professor Bullfinch, built it for NASA. The professor warns Danny to leave the machine alone. But Danny can't resist!
Danny decides to use the computer to help with his homework. He teams up with his friend Joe Pearson and his new neighbor, Irene Miller. They have some success using the machine. However, someone soon messes with the machine, causing problems.
Danny is smart and figures out what's wrong. He manages to fix the computer. Later, Danny's teacher finds out about the homework machine. She gets some interesting ideas for a "Homework Champions" plan. She thinks of a clever way to challenge the kids.
The Homework Machine: Science Then and Now
The "homework machine" in the book is like the huge computers from the 1950s. These were called mainframe computers. They often used special paper cards with holes punched in them. These were called punched cards.
Today, students often use computers for research. But Danny's machine was more than just a research tool. It could do hard math problems. It could also "read" textbooks. Then, it could write reports on topics from those books. This was a very advanced idea for its time!
Fun Facts and Other Details
In this book, amateur radio is used for the first time in the series. Danny and Irene try to get a homework question answered using a radio. They try to talk to someone across an alley. But there's too much static, so they just open their windows and shout!
Different Book Editions
Over the years, Danny Dunn and the Homework Machine has been published by different companies.
- McGraw-Hill published it in 1958. It came out in both paperback and hardback. Ezra Jack Keats did the illustrations.
- Brockhampton Press released a hardback version in 1960. It also featured drawings by Ezra Jack Keats.
- Pocket Books reissued a paperback version in 1983.
The Musical Version
Danny Dunn and the Homework Machine was even turned into a musical! It was released as a children's album. The music was composed by Julie Mandel. You could find it on Golden Records and Wonderland Records.
